My immediate family is generically small: Mom, Dad, and two kids. However, I was able to grow up surrounded by my seemingly never ending extended family, and I can't imagine what life would've been like without them. Pretty dull I'm assuming.

1. Cousins are more like siblings.

I had four cousins born after me but before my sister. We were always together and even though I knew they weren't actually my brothers and sisters, I got to bond with them just the same.

2. Going out to eat with everyone is a task.

Me to the hostess at Red Robin: We have 21 people here and would like to sit together if at all possible. *waits an hour and a half*, *staff rearranges the entire restaurant*. Hostess over speaker system: Party from hell, your table is ready. But hey we tip good, so no hard feelings?

3. Actually, going anywhere with everyone is a task.

Eating out together, sitting remotely close to each other in a movie theater, and not to mention simply getting anywhere in cars that can hold everybody. Thank God for SUVs.

4. You get to know older generations.

For most of my childhood two of my great uncles lived with my grandma and she was close to her other siblings. Most people never get to meet that branch of their family tree and I sincerely feel privileged to have done so. I was also lucky enough to spend most of my childhood knowing my great grandmother, which is incredible.

5. There's always going to be someone older to give advice.

I get to be the older cousin to a dozen or so younger family members but I'm lucky to have a few that are older than me, and amazing aunts and uncles that are always there to give advice, listen to me, and support me always.

6. There's always going to be someone who's going through the same things.

For one year I was the only grandchild currently in college, others had graduated already, or hadn't even started yet so I was all alone. But in the next few years more entered the college world and now we get to share all of the same complaints and joys of the best years of our life.

7. Family pictures are an orchestrated event.

There are individual family unit pictures, sibling pictures, cousin pictures, grandparent pictures, and parent/grandparent pictures--there better be extra camera batteries laying around.

8. There is never not a birthday happening.

I'm not kidding My sister's birthday is October 19th, one cousin's is the 20th, and another cousin's is the 21st, and I think there's a great uncle and grand parent's birthday thrown in to the month. I'm not sure if we have a birthday every month of the year, but we're pretty dang close.

9. Going to a graduation becomes a yearly event.

From preschool graduations, to 5th grade graduations, to middle school graduations, to high school graduations, to college graduations-my family has made their fair share of rounds at school ceremonies over the years. For instance, this year we have three-one college, and two high school.

10. Holidays are celebrated for days.

Christmas and Thanksgiving are celebrated at least three different times in three different locations, and Easter at least two. I'm not complaining though, who doesn't love a good celebration?

11. Vacations are unforgettable.

Every year of my entire life my mom's side has packed up their cars and headed what feels like a million hours away to our own little oasis in Maine. It's something we all grew up doing, and it's where the grandparents are from so saying it's a special experience is an understatement. Some of my best memories took place there, with them.

12. There's always enough love to go around.

From happy times to hard times, simply knowing that there will always be someone around to lend a shoulder or pop champagne with, is the best feeling in the world. I wouldn't trade my crazy, loud, huge family for anything in the world.